JUDGMENT

Dr. B.R. Sarangi, J. - The petitioner, by means of this writ petition, seeks direction to the opposite parties to extend the lease period for 10 years or the maximum period as permissible under the Orissa Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 (for short 'OMMC Rules, 2016').

2. The factual matrix of the case, in brief, is that the petitioner was granted on lease Bholanugaon Stone Quarry, Ghasipura Tahasil in the district of Keonjhar for mining of stone for a term of five years from 2015-2020. Since then, the petitioner has been operating the said quarry in accordance with law and in full compliance with the provisions of the OMMC Rules, 2016 as well as mining plan. The requisite environmental clearance, consent to establish and consent to operate were granted after a delay of two years, and accordingly the lease period was further extended until 04.04.2022. The petitioner has invested significant sums of money and has even established a stone crusher in the region for processing of the quarry output in accordance with the norms prescribed by the competent authority. As per the OMMC Rules 2016, the period of mining lease for any specified minor minerals is 30 years and for qu